Today’s episode features host of Mindful Mama Podcast, Hunter Clarke-Fields. She recently came back from a silent meditation retreat! Do you meditate? Would you consider a silent retreat?
Hunter shares her history of panic attacks, increased sensitivity, and periods of low pits. Daily meditation created more peace, lessening the judgement of herself and others. It provided the clear lens of reality through the chatter of thoughts and beliefs playing in her mind. Letting thoughts pass without holding onto the negativity.
When we label ourselves and others we limit the power of achieving more. If you think the thought, “I am disorganized” the judging part comes when bringing evidence of this to the surface. Making your mind believe that thought to ALWAYS be true, making that negative thought YOU. So what can we do when this shows up?
Step 1: Notice the negative thoughts, “I’m having the thought that ____” …. This phrasing puts the thought outside yourself, into perspective.
Step 2: How does this feel in the body when you think this? Heat? Tingling? Anxiety?
Step 3: Question that. Is that ALWAYS true?
Step 4: Self compassion. Growth doesn’t come from being harsh and mean to ourselves…. Notice “this is hard for me! I’m really reactive and frustrated” offer yourself some forgiveness.
Dropping into the body helps the brain rewire and growth to occur! At times counteracting with gratitude helps, but many times you need to accept the thoughts that arise for you, and give yourself space to feel them.
At the end Hunter shares her intense retreat experience of no speaking, reading or WRITING for SEVEN DAYS 😯 Sadness, loneliness, and pain flowed throughout the process. Thankfully peace finally came, and extreme awareness of surroundings. Enhancing the ability to give love and kindness to others. Deepening the emotion of empathy on a global level outside of self. Really powerful stuff!!!!
About my guest
Hunter Clarke-Fields, is a mindfulness mentor, host of the Mindful Mama podcast, creator of the Mindful Parenting course, and author of the upcoming book, Raising Good Humans. She helps moms bring more calm and peace into their daily lives. Hunter has over twenty years of experience in meditation and yoga practices and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide.
Hunter is a widely-followed blogger and her writing has appeared in the Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha, MOPS, Elephant Journal, Mothering, and a number of other online magazines and websites. She is the mother of two active daughters, who challenge her everyday to hone her craft!
Resources and links
Other episodes you may enjoy:
Hunter has been a guest twice before on the show and here are her episodes.
- The Benefits of Negative Emotions with Hunter Clarke-Fields
- Mindful Parenting with Hunter Clarke-Fields
- Resilient: How To Grow Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength and Happiness with Rick Hanson
- How to Make Peace with Your Past and Heal Your Life with Mark Nepo
- The Work with Byron Katie
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With gratitude,
Anna
